The @Percussion Podcast

The @Percussion - Episode 151 - John Psathas

151 - John Psathas

We are excited that joining us this week is New Zealand composer John Psathas.  John is a favorite among percussionists, with his commission roster including powerhouse performers Evelyn Glennie, Ju Percussion, and Pedro Carneiro. His music was heard by billions in 2004 when he composed music for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Athens Olympics.  

Watch here. Listen below. 

0:00 intro and hello
1:53 By the beach and a special "View" 
3:50 Settling in New Zealand  
7:23 Collaborative process when unfamiliar with the artist?
11:33 Writing process 
17:28 Writing for the player's ease vs not.  
22:50 Timpani works and solo timpani?   
33:00 Laurel: Anatomy of Drumming (book)
49:27 Dave Weckl influence?
53:00 Ben: Evelyn Glennie 
1:05:00 Recent work with Piano Circus?  How do you choose who you collaborate with?
1:08:25 Online, and not just sharing the best experiences

The @Percussion - Episode 150 - Drew Tucker

150 - Drew Tucker

Joining us for Episode 150 - can you believe it?! - is Drew Tucker: musician, educator, and social entrepreneur.  He advocates for the arts in underserved areas of South Florida.  In addition, he has gained notoriety for jazz-influenced twists on modern pop standards.  His teaching covers all realms, including drum corps, and he can often be seen wearing one of his signature "IT'S NOT A XYLOPHONE" t-shirts. 

Watch here. Listen below. 

0:00 intro and hello 
1:10 MalletLab Summer Camp 
8:40 Story behind "It's not a xylophone"?  Using branding and social media.
13:40 Any short comings of the social media culture?
17:03 Ben: Mike Mainieri 
28:10 Casey: what's the sound? 
37:00 Upcomming plans for MalletLab?
40:42 Thoughts on majoring in music education and public school 
 teaching 
43:20 Advice on starting a career in performance. 
48:55 Musicality and technique.

The @Percussion - Episode 149 - Tocalo Tucson, Bill Cahn, Morris Palter, Tiffeny Johnson, Michael Pratt, Jacob Ransom

149 - Tócalo Tucson

This episode was recorded during the ToCALO Tucson Chamber Percussion Seminar, where Casey was a guest artist.  The week in Tuscon consisted of several world premiere performances, masterclasses, and other activities for participants, all organized by Artistic Director Morris Palter.

This interview features Casey, Morris, Bill Cahn, Tiffeny Johnson, Michael Pratt, Jacob Ransom, and others from Tocalo Tucson.

Watch here. Listen below.

0:00 Intro and hello
2:10 Morris:  The name "Tocalo Tucson"?  
4:50 Bill:  The history of Nexus and use of improvisation?
24:23 Morris's interest in refurbishing  and selling Rogers drums.
39:38 Theatrical/gestural current in new percussion pieces
55:15 Are there roles that the Nexus members played in the  ensemble?
1:02:18 Nexus Ragtime album

The @Percussion - Episode 148 - Caleb Pickering

148 - Caleb Pickering

Joining us this week is percussionist, composer, and regular guest host: Caleb Pickering.  His works are often performed by high schools in his home state of Texas, and he is regularly commissioned for ensemble and solo works. Currently, he is at work on a collection of intermediate snare solos.

A current DMA student at James Madison University, he is a wonderful addition to the percussion faculty.

Watch here. Listen below.

0:00 Intro and Hello.  Westworld banter
4:08 Caleb's ensemble writing and style
11:25 Writing for varying student abilities/levels in percussion ensembles.
16:56 Casey: What's the sound?
23:36 Facebook question from Jade Hails: Balancing your academic life with a performance/composing career?
28:21 Laurel: When/why humans develop recognition of emotion in music, a study in China.
45:55 Ben: Four musical solo works that are gesture based.  Thierry de Mey, "Silence Must Be!"
; Mark Applebaum, "Aphasia"; SR9 Trio "This is Not a Ball"; Cangelosi, "Bad Touch" (shout out to Kyle Maxwell-Doherty and his dissertation)
1:07:48: Caleb: thoughts on classroom teaching and classroom teaching.
1:15:00 Facebook question from Overton Alford: When did your  compositions start to take-off?

The @Percussion - Episode 147 - Norm Weinberg

147 - Norm Weinberg

Joining us this week is Norm Weinberg, recently retired from the University of Arizona.  He's an educator, writer (270 articles), composer, and still an active player - in orchestral and chamber realms.  He's played under the baton of such greats as Luciano Berio, Kryzystof Penderecki, Lukas Foss, and Leonard Bernstein.  He also created and established the World Percussion Network, which later became "pas.org."

Watch here. Listen below.

0:00 Intro and hello 
1:05 "Yanny" vs "Laurel" explained, Diana Deutsch experiments/sound illusions (ep.125) 
4:30 Guest introduction
6:20 Lately? Retirement
8:15 Playing under Leonard Bernstein? 
11:50 Do conductors think of percussionists differently today? Percussionists the "butt of the joke"
23:31 Ben: Askell Masson 
33:50 Boards and page turns...
44:00 Ricardo Flores as a student? 
48:00 Brian Calhoon: Genre combustion. Marimba Cabaret 
56:35 Norm's article, technological advances in percussion? 
1:05:00 Norm's CD "Quilt", composing for electronic sounds vs acoustic instruments?

The @Percussion - Episode 146 - Brian Blume

146 - Brian Blume

This week's guest, Brian Blume, is the Assistant Professor of Percussion at Southeastern University, where he teaches applied percussion, percussion techniques, music theory, world music, and the school's first ever drumline.  Brian is also a composer who has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and studio percussionist, with groups such as the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Terra Haute Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and BluHill Percussion Duo.

Watch here. Listen below.

0:00 Intro and Hello
2:30 Starting the drumline at Southeastern University?
7:50 Performance requests for university drumlines, choirs, steel band etc...
13:50 Concert and DCI melding together and studying with Tony Cirone
21:00 Casey: What's the Sound?
24:20 Laurel: Top 10 Brain Boosting Foods - Andy Harnsberger
29:09 Considering food intake and performance?
34:30 Brain's blog: "Percussionist-Composer"
43:52 BlueHill Podcast
47:49 Ben: Keiko Abe and Marimba Village
54:23 Joshua Jones: Your biggest hurdle?  And what got you through it?
57:15  "Peak" (book)

The @Percussion - Episode 145 - Lauren Teel

145 - Lauren Teel

This week we sat down with percussionist and educator Lauren Teel. Lauren is currently the Adjunct Instructor of Percussion for the University of North Alabama, Adjunct Instructor of Percussion for the University of Montevallo, and the Percussion Caption Head for the DCI World Class Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps.

Watch here. Listen below.

0:00 Intro and Hello
1:12 Working at UNA and Tracy Wiggins.  Teaching.
9:40 Advice for teaching WGI?
12:50 Balance of the marching activity and university studies.
26:50 Casey: What's the sound?  "Flamboyant" and Richard E Rogers Jr.
43:50 Megan: Article, "Diversifying the Orchestra"
51:40 Matt Marks, thank you and R.I.P.
1:02:30 Facebook questions:  Dog?  
1:04:17 Brandon Arvay: Male dominated community, thoughts?

The @Percussion - Episode 144 - Omar Carmenates

144 - Omar Carmenates

This week we sat down with Dr. Omar Carmenates, the Associate Professor of Percussion at Furman University and the Front Ensemble Supervisor/Arranger of the Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps. His debut solo CD, entitled The Gaia Theory, is released through Rattle Records, and two other recent projects include a double-disc release entitled "The John Psathas Percussion Project" and a collaboration with Furman Univesity’s David E. Shi Center for Sustainability to record Matthew Burtner’s Six Ecoacoustic Quintets with the Furman Percussion Ensemble.

Watch here.  Listen below.

0:00 intro and hello
0:55 Thanks, Megan - past episodes timestamps complete
3:50 Omar Carmenates intro
5:30 Busy busy + Dad
8:03 What's new?
9:05 Ben: John Psathas, composer.  Omar's Psathas arranging project.
28:28 Facebook questions:  Luis Rivera: Tesla car?
Robbie Green:  Greatest musical or teaching failure and what have you learned from it?
33:50 Robbie Green: what advice would you have for your former self?
35:50 Time at UNT and did you know Ben?  
39:19 Brian Radock: 3-piece advice for a young percussionist.  When you write music,
how do you know when and where to start and stop?
Advice for expanding drumline show arranging work.
48:30 Upcoming Cadets show? What keeps drawing you back to the drumcorps activity?
56:11 How does John Psathas feel about his music in a DCI show?
1:01:10 How you balance your time, fun things you enjoy?

The @Percussion - Episode 143 - Dave Hall

143 - Dave Hall

This week we sat down with percussion educator, performer, and composer Dave Hall! Dave is the Assistant Professor of Percussion and Jazz Studies, and coordinator of the percussion program at the University of Nebraska.

Watch here. Listen below.

0:00  Intro and Hello
2:13  Latest?
4:33  Dave and Ben's experiences with Christopher Deane at UNT
9:49  Megan: RIP and thanks to Mr. Bernard Woma
21:00  Hannah Gallamore Given that you are a prolific composer,
educator, and performer, how do you manage these three
disciplines throughout the year–does it change as the year
progresses or have you found a consistent balance?
23:24  Notching up the challenges.  Michael Gordon's "XY"
30:40  Nebraska Steel Band?  
36:45  Continuing practice and more on time management
46:56  Parker David Stockford What is a good way to get in
contact or meet with professors at prospective schools when
you’re in a very far state to travel from? I go to school in
Hawaii and it’s almost impossible to go meet with professors
before an audition. What is a good way to meet them?
50:50  Parker David Stockford
What are the opinions on tattoos on performers? Should
they be covered? Are there certain situations where they don’t
need to be? Are there certain genres of music where they’re more
acceptable than others?

The @Percussion - Episode 142 - Michael Bettine

142 - Michael Bettine

Joining us this week is alchemical percussionist and storyteller Michael Bettine! Working under the name Gongtopia, he has presented concerts of original compositions and improvisations played on metal instruments, sounding bass drum, and hand drums since 2002. He also regularly presents both Gong Meditation Sessions and Sound Workshops using gongs, singing bowls, and bells.

Watch here. Listen below.

0:00 Intro and Hello
1:40 Puccini gongs for sale?
5:03 Michael Bettine's background, what is Gongtopia?
7:00 Logistics of these gongs and traveling?
9:52 Bonham's gong!
12:15 Michael's blogs, history as a writer.  
16:05 Blog post "Selling of Gongs as Snake Oil"  
22:08 Michael's meditation session?
25:47 Interesting instrument finds? Debussy's crotales
29:25 The low pitches for "Rain Tree" (Takemitsu)
32:50 Laurel: Current PAS committee openings and how to apply
37:47 Megan: Why African instruments often have a buzzing sound  attached
47:44 Starting a meditation sessions
49:20 Michael Newmeyer: How does Gongtopia tie into meditation, and does it tie into music therapy?
52:00 Any favorite gong use by other composers?
55:15 Sponsorship
58:52 The new CD?